Breaking The Chain: The Key of Self-motivation

Written by: Jessica Meier

There have been many seasons in my life when I’ve been tempted to give up. I’ve wanted to stay in bed all day. Some days, I did. There was a battle happening - not necessarily around what I needed to do, but around whether I had the energy, clarity and mindset to do it. Lately, I had slipped into a mindset driven by the undertow of a lie that whispers: “You can make time for the things you love once you figure out everything else.” Once the problems are solved. Once life settles down. Once the work is caught up. Once x, y and z are finally taken care of.

But what if I started today? What if I invested in the things that fuel me for short periods of time? I'll tell you, it fuels you differently and it can make the hard and heavy things seem easier to carry. That's the truth.

Sometimes the productive thing is not the obvious thing.

I’ve learned that when I’m doing the right things for myself, even when they seem counterintuitive to what “should” be getting done, everything else tends to flow better.

When I make time for the things that restore me, my mindset expands. My ability to think clearly improves. I become more adaptable. Difficult tasks don't necessarily disappear, but they become easier to approach. When I don't make that time, I can spend hours convincing myself that I'm being productive simply because I'm pursuing the stressors.

But eventually, I burn out.

Our minds and bodies were never designed to constantly run, fix, analyze and solve. We need periods of restoration. We need movement. We need quiet. We need connection. We need time to think, breathe and simply be. Taking care of yourself isn't always taking time away from your responsibilities. Sometimes, it's what allows you to handle them better. That coffee with James reminded me of something else, too: I need to write. Writing has always been a source of clarity and release for me. Putting thoughts and ideas onto paper gives me a place to process the past, make sense of the present and think about the future. And sometimes, something I write that helps me can help someone else, too. That makes it incredibly rewarding.

Self-Motivation Starts With Taking Ownership

When life feels heavy, I need a few things before I can move forward with strength: Prayer. A change in mindset. And self-motivation. Usually, in that order. I can't operate from a place of true fortitude without first humbling myself, getting quiet and recognizing that I don't have to carry everything on my own. Then comes structure. What actually matters right now? What needs my attention? Where am I spending energy that isn't serving me? Where have I been neglecting the things that make me better? Self-motivation isn't always about pushing harder. Sometimes it's about slowing down long enough to understand where you are, where you want to go and what needs to change to get you there. That can be uncomfortable.. but it's necessary. You have to take ownership of the things that need to be done—and also recognize where you may be slipping so you can make a different choice tomorrow.

What Fuels You?

Here's the thing about self-motivation: you can't sustain it if you don't know what fuels you. What sharpens your saw? What makes you feel more like yourself? What restores your mind, body and spirit? The single best investment you can make is an investment in yourself. But that investment requires intention. You have to be proactive. You have to make time. You have to stop waiting for life to become easier before you start doing the things that make you stronger. For me, there are three things that consistently help reset and refuel me.

1. Get Outside

Depending on how I'm feeling, this might be a walk, a hike, a swim, sitting beside a river, reading a book in a beautiful park, walking through a garden or simply sitting outside and listening.

There is something powerful about stepping away from screens, schedules and noise and reconnecting with creation. I love listening to the water rushing down a river or birds singing early in the morning. I love sitting around a fire and looking at the stars. Sometimes I don't need another answer I just need to breathe. Getting outside gives my mind space to reset and reminds me that the world is bigger than whatever problem I'm currently carrying.

2. Read Something That Makes You Think

I'm generally a hold-the-paper-book-in-my-hands kind of person. I love having my Bible, a motivational book, a self-development book or even a good piece of fiction nearby. Reading gives me permission to step away from the constant noise of life and enter another world—or learn something that expands my own. It increases knowledge, challenges our thinking and keeps our minds engaged. One book I return to when thinking about effectiveness and personal growth is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. One of the principles that has always stood out to me is the importance of renewing yourself. Because if you don't sharpen the saw, eventually the saw stops working effectively. Don't let your mind get soft. Be a lifelong learner. Keep reading. Keep asking questions. Keep growing.

3. Move Your Body

I haven't always been a huge fan of going to the gym. In fact, I've learned that if I don't enjoy the environment I'm in, I'm much more likely to procrastinate. That's why I've become intentional about finding an environment that works for me. For me, that means more than weights and machines. I enjoy having access to a pool, different types of activities, outdoor space, somewhere to sit and work, and an environment where I actually want to spend time. Once I found the right fit, something changed.

I started missing it when I didn't go. And there is a reason movement can have such a profound effect on how we feel.

Why does exercise matter when life feels hard?

• It supports brain chemistry. Physical activity influences neurotransmitters involved in mood and stress regulation, including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and endorphins.

• It helps regulate the stress response. Regular exercise can help your body become more efficient at responding to stress and can support healthier regulation of the systems involved in the stress response.

• It can improve sleep. Regular physical activity is associated with better sleep quality, and better sleep can make it easier to manage stress, emotions and daily demands.

• It supports brain health. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and is associated with processes that support learning, adaptation and neuroplasticity, including changes involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

You don't have to become a fitness fanatic. You don't have to spend hours in a gym. Start somewhere. Take a walk. Stretch. Swim. Ride a bike. Play a sport. Move your body in a way that you actually enjoy. Doing something good for yourself is better than doing nothing at all.

You Don't Have to Feel Motivated First

Maybe that's the biggest lesson I'm learning. We often think motivation has to come first. But sometimes action creates motivation. You don't have to wait until you feel inspired to take the first step.

You don't have to wait until life is perfect. You don't have to wait until the stress disappears. You start with ten minutes.

Ten minutes of reading.

Ten minutes outside.

Ten minutes of movement.

Ten minutes of prayer.

Ten minutes of writing.

Ten minutes of doing something that reminds you who you are beyond the responsibilities, problems and pressures you're carrying.

Those ten minutes may not solve everything, but they might change the way you approach everything else. So ask yourself: What fuels me? What have I stopped doing because life got hard? What would happen if I gave myself just ten minutes of it today? Don't wait for life to become easier before you start taking care of yourself. Start now.Because sometimes the thing you think you have the least time for is actually the thing that gives you the strength to make the most of the time you have. Invest in yourself. Sharpen your saw. Feed your mind. Move your body. Nourish your spirit. And then take the next step. You may be surprised by how much easier the hard things become.